Los Angeles Clippers All-Star point guard Chris Paul is set to hit free agency this offseason, and after losing in Game 7 of the first round to the Utah Jazz, it is not a lock that he is returning to Los Angeles.
Since the Clippers acquired Paul in 2011, they have made the playoffs in each of his six seasons with the organization.
Despite making the playoff each season, they have failed to reach the Western Conference Finals even once. With Paul, Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick all set to hit free agency, it is possible that the Clippers as we know them could be gone.
According the Marc Stein of ESPN, if Paul does decide to leave Los Angeles then the San Antonio Spurs are a team he would consider:
All-Star point guard Chris Paul intends to give the San Antonio Spurs serious consideration in free agency this summer in the event he decides to leave the LA Clippers, according to league sources.
With Spurs point guard Tony Parker getting injured this postseason and getting up there in age at 35, it makes a lot of sense for the Spurs to try an bring in an All-Star caliber point guard to pair with Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge to try and compete with the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference.
Paul is 32-years-old and has only played 82 games in a season once in his 12-year career though, so the Spurs and other teams may be a bit reluctant to give him the max contract he desires. That could ultimately lead to him ending up back with the Clippers.
It is also worth noting that Paul pushed to change the ‘over-36’ rule to the ‘over-38’ rule which gives him the ability to sign a max contract worth over $200 million. That deal is only available with the Clippers.
With Clippers head coach Doc Rivers also serving as the team’s president, it will be interesting to see what direction he decides to go with the organization this offseason.